UNITED STATES SENATOR ROBERT MENENDEZ

Senator Bob Menendez grew up the son of Cuban immigrants in a tenement building in Union City and has risen to become one of 100 United States Senators. He served as Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee in the 113th Congress, one of the oldest and most revered Committees in the Senate, at a time when world affairs have a dramatic impact on our economy at home. He has earned a national reputation for his international leadership in the Senate, which pairs with his long-time reputation as a fighter for families who puts their economic security ahead of powerful special interests.

A product of New Jersey's public schools and a graduate of the state's universities, Bob learned early on the importance of standing up for what's right, no matter how powerful the opposition. He entered public service as a 19-year old college student – when Bob launched a successful petition drive to reform his local school board. That same commitment led him to take on his hometown’s powerful mayor when Bob saw him abusing the office for personal gain. He stood up to corruption in Union City and went on to become its mayor, a state legislator and was elected to Congress in 1992. He quickly rose to leadership positions and has given New Jerseyans a seat at the table during critical negotiations on every issue since then: war and peace, jobs and the economy, education, health care, veterans issues, world affairs, transportation, and housing.

Senator Menendez’s career has been a tribute to his desire to protect the powerless from the powerful and ensure fairness for every American. He led the fight in Congress to make sure New Jersey received its fair share of recovery funds to help communities rebuild after Superstorm Sandy, chaired Senate Banking Committee hearings to hold the administration accountable for getting relief resources out of Washington, and passed landmark bipartisan legislation providing relief to homeowners hit with unreasonably high flood premiums.

The son of immigrants, Bob understands the importance of New Jersey’s Liberty State Park, in the shadow of Ellis Island and the Statue of Liberty, at the gateway for millions of immigrants who came to this nation seeking the American Dream and a better life for them and their children. That’s why he was one of eight Senators who wrote and fought for comprehensive immigration reform legislation that passed the Senate in 2013 with an overwhelming bipartisan show of support.

As Ranking Member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, he is a foreign policy leader for a new century, seeking to do globally what he has done in New Jersey – supporting the most vulnerable in our society and lending a voice to those least able to speak for themselves. He has advocated for women and children struggling with oppressive poverty in Central American and Africa and stood by democracy activists struggling to reform governments from Cuba to to . In addition, he has evoked a strong national security posture in the face of tyrannical leaders of Russia, , and Syria.

Bob has been widely recognized for his leadership on promoting safe and healthy families. He has championed legislation to support mothers suffering from postpartum depression, help families meet the challenges of autism, and keep young athletes safe from harm on the playing field. He serves on the Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs Committee and has championed increased consumer protection and corporate accountability, fairness in lending, affordable housing, and comprehensive approaches to community revitalization. He is also Ranking Member of the Banking Subcommittee on Housing, Transportation and Community Development where he has fought for smart, green development initiatives that make New Jersey a model for smart growth around the nation. As a member of the Finance Committee, he has sponsored legislation increasing access to health care, advocated for fairness in the tax code and pushed for trade initiatives to ensure America’s global competitiveness.

Bob was born on New Year’s Day, 1954. He received his B.A. from St. Peter's College in Jersey City and his law degree from . He has two children, Alicia and Robert.